


Diner Food Isn't All Bad

by Andromedanewton



Series: Anita and Edward (my canon divergence) [16]
Category: Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter - Laurell K. Hamilton
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Anita is Cranky, Breakfast, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-16
Updated: 2016-08-16
Packaged: 2018-08-09 03:32:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,062
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7785127
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Andromedanewton/pseuds/Andromedanewton
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Anita, Edward and Bernardo have breakfast and discuss the usual things; relationships, sex and vampires.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Diner Food Isn't All Bad

**Author's Note:**

> We are slowly coming to the end of this story, and that is all the works I currently have completed *sob*! However I do have some amazing news, that my first novel should soon be available on Kindle! Yay! And I mean in the next month perhaps! I am so scared and excited at the same time it's untrue! Thank you everyone for being so supportive, I don't doubt the confidence boost has encouraged me to do this sooner than I would have and I am forever grateful!
> 
> But, enough mushy stuff! Back to Anita!

We went for breakfast. Or dinner. It was gone three so it wasn't quite lunch either but it did mean the rush had died down and we had most of the place to ourselves. Theodore had chosen a booth at the back of the room and had put me in the corner before sliding in next to me, sitting close enough our legs touched and he put his arm around my waist. I hadn't been allowed my weapons back, and that had left me feeling more vulnerable than the fading fuzzy edge the drug has left.  
'Say something.' Theodore said to Bernardo, who sat central on the bench seat opposite us with a slightly amused look on his face. We had ordered already, our coffees had been served and we had the chance of at least several minutes peace.  
'I knew something was up.'  
'Told you it was the tits.' I added sugar to my coffee while staring into the too dark depths. 'Can you ask the waitress for more cream?'  
'Coffee mutilator.' Edward said but called over the waitress anyway and asked for more.  
'How long?' Bernardo looked between us.  
'Few days.' Theodore replied.  
'Really? Because the way you've always talked about her...' He left the sentence hanging. 'You know what, it doesn't matter. I'm happy for you.'  
'Thanks.'  
'And that's the real reason you're abandoning Santa Fe.'  
'Not completely but mostly. Van Cleef's people broke in so I'll need it fixed up and I need somewhere to base until then.' He turned to me and I realised I should probably have been listening closer. I hadn't really heard what he said. 'Say, maybe I could crash at your place.'  
'Why?' I looked up at him, not quite comprehending.  
'Were you listening?'  
'Not really. I meant to but it didn't sink in. What are we doing?'  
'I'm talking about staying at your place until we set up something more permanent.'  
I gave him a worried look. 'So Jean Claude knows just where to find us?'  
'We'll convince him to leave us alone.'  
'Better than you have tried.'  
'I doubt that.'  
I sighed. I actually agreed with him, what worried me was that Jean Claude might try and recruit him. 'Alright, fine, my place. And I talk to Jean Claude once we get back. He'll be fifty shades of pissed but maybe I can convince him he has Asher back now and to move on.'  
'Who's Asher?' Theodore asked.  
'Old flame, long story. Not going into it. Nearly got us all killed. The story, not Asher himself.'  
'You think he'll buy it?'  
'If I offer to continue to act as his human servant, don't ignore him and the triumvirate, maybe. Guess there's only one way to find out.'  
'If he doesn't like the idea his other option is I kill him.' He shrugged.  
'And me along with him.'  
'I don't think you'd die, you're stronger than that.'  
'I'm not stronger than a several hundred year old vampire and he wouldn't survive my death.' I argued.  
'I'm confused.' Bernardo added. 'Who's Jean Claude and which vampire?'  
'He's the master of St. Louis. We were, dating I guess. I'm his human servant.'  
'Wow, complicated.' Bernardo sipped his coffee. 'You'd die if he died?'  
'Probably, and the leader of the wolf pack. We're all tied together in one neat little metaphysical bundle.' I drank some of my own coffee now I finally had enough cream in it.  
He turned back to Theodore. 'You sure you've thought this through? That it's worth it?'  
'She's worth it.' He corrected him. 'And as masters go Jean Claude isn't a bad one. Still undead but plays well with others. Isn't adverse to my help either. That might work to our advantage.'  
'Or disadvantage.' I pointed out. 'We could debate this all day and still be wrong. We won't know how he's going to react until I tell him.'  
'We tell him.' His fingers clenched on my hip to make his point.  
'Oh no, I do this alone. He's less likely to rip your throat out if he has to come after you than if you're standing right in front of him.'  
We were quiet while the waitress served our food, burgers for Bernardo and I, chicken fried steak for Theodore, then he spoke again. 'You shouldn't go alone. He's dangerous.'  
'So am I, but if you're that worried I'll ask him to meet me somewhere neutral.'  
'Like?'  
'I don't know! Shut up and let me eat!' I was hoping the food would clear the last of the jitteriness from me and he was stopping me from testing my theory.  
We all ate in silence for a while and finally Bernardo spoke again. 'I can make sure I'm in the area, in case things go wrong.'  
'Things won't go wrong if I'm allowed to handle it myself.' I growled as I was about to take a bite. The coffee might have been strong enough to sit up and bark on its own but the burgers were pretty damn good.  
'She'll handle it.' Theodore said. 'I trust her.'  
'You don't trust Jean Claude though, that's where the problem is.'  
'Never trust a vamp, Anita, you know that. He's a good master and pretty forward thinking for someone so old, my only beef with him is you. He needs to let you go, if you ask.'  
'You saying your main issue is the fact he might not let me go or that I've been boffing him?' I checked and Bernardo coughed to hide his laugh.  
'Bit of both, maybe. He's a monster and you know that.'  
'So are we.' I gave him a hard look and he conceded.  
'Point taken. But we breathe.'  
'Not if you don't drop this topic and let me handle this my own way.'  
'I'll let you do this if you promise to wear an earpiece so I can listen in, a tracker and you call for help if you need it. Code red into the earpiece and I'll be with you.'  
'Alright.' I wiped my hand on a napkin and offered it to him. 'We have a witness you agreed to do it this way.'  
'Fine.' He shook my hand and we went back to eating. That settled all we had to think about was getting through the FBI interview and heading home to face the music.


End file.
